Murtagh Nicks a point with late goal

Anglo Printers JFC Group D THE Gaelic Grounds hosted a battle royale in round two of the Junior Championship on Friday evening.

Following defeats in round one both the Sean McDermotts and St Nicholas started nervously, but Kevin Walsh opened the scoring from a free for the Nicks with Phillip Kirwan adding a second from play.

Midway through the half the intensity spilled over for both teams with McDermots losing Patrick Osborne to a straight red card for striking, while the Nicks lost Jason Maguire and Vinny O’Hare to black cards.

The 14 men from Ardee seemed energised by the dismissal and they had the score all square from two frees.

The Nicks had lost all their early momentum and the McDermotts extended their lead with two from play.

Roy Kierans and another Walsh dead ball drew the Nicks all square but the Seans edged in front at the break with another free.

The pattern of the game didn’t change much in the second half with both defences on top.

Points were exchanged to keep the Seans with the minimum advantage.

With ten to go the Seans found the back of the net and, in such a low-scoring contest that looked to be an unassailable lead, 1-6 to 0-5.

Another Walsh free was cancelled out by a Seans free to maintain their four-point advantage.

A Kierans point from play brought the Nicks back within one score heading towards full time, but a massive turnover from the Nicks full back line led to a full pitch movement culminating in Paddy Murtagh punching the equalising score.

The draw leaves both teams ST NICHOLAS: Jason O’Boyle; Kieran Floyd, Darren Thornton, Andrew Starrs; Alex Finnegan, Johnny Carter, Ciaran O’Brien; Declan Heeney, Kevin Walsh 0-3 (3f); Phillip Kirwan 0-1, Jason Maguire, Vinny O’Hare; Roy Kierans 0-2, John Heeney, Keith Cluskey. Subs: Barry Woods 0-1 for Maguire (BC), Richie Campbell for O’Hare (BC), Paddy Murtagh 1-0 for J. Heeney, Alan Gregory for Thornton, Eddie Carr for Carter

SEAN MCDERMOTT’S: Steven Carrie; Kevin McGahon, Seán McMahon, Emmett Duffy; Daniel Commins 0-1, Peter Osbourne, Ian Corbally; Declan Carroll, Patrick Osbourne; Cormac Walsh 0-1, Lorcan Myles 0-1, David O’Neill; David McArdle, Tony Kelly 0-1, Kevin McMahon 1-3. Subs: BJ Matthews for O’Neill, Aaron Myles for Walsh, Darren McEneaney for Declan Carroll, Alan O’Neill for McGahon.